Fernando dos Reis Ganhão
Fernando dos Reis Ganhão was born in Maputo on January 6, 1937.
He did his primary and secondary education in Maputo, and the
higher education in Lisbon, Paris and Warsaw (Masters Degree).
In 1961 he joins the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique
(FRELIMO). During his participation in the fight for national
liberation, especially in the period from 1966 to 1968 he was
professor of Mozambique History at the Institute of Dar-es-Salaam
where apart of having held the positions of director, he also directed
the first systematic compilation of data on the history of Mozambique.
After the “Acordos de Lusaka”, Fernando Ganhão returned to Mozambique, and in
December 1974 he was appointed Dean of the University of Lourenço Marques who
would later be known as University Eduardo Mondlane in May 1976.
Working as Dean, he triggered the transformation of the colonial curriculum in a
education that would suit the services of our young nation. And, despite the shortage of
human resources, both teachers and students, Fernando Ganhão fought to keep open the
University, managing with expertise the higher education and its priorities for
Mozambique, and then created the foundations of a future higher education that assists in
the integral development of the Mozambican nation.
Moreover even as Dead of the first university, he showed concern with scientific research,
particularly the creation of the Center for African Studies and the preservation of
historical sources and also gave its contribution in the development and sustainability of
education by training teachers using the Faculty of Education.
For its qualities, the Prof. Dr. Ganhão also did other activities, namely the President of
the National Olympic Committee, Vice President of the National Commission for
UNESCO, President of the Center for International Relations Mozambique - Tanzania,
and President of the Council of Deans of Mozambique.
Pelas suas qualidades o Prof. Dr. Ganhão desempenhou também outras actividades a
destacar a de Presidente do Comité Olímpico Nacional, Vice Presidente da Comissão
Nacional da UNESCO, Presidente do Centro de Relações Internacionais Moçambique –
Tanzânia, e Presidente do Conselho de Reitores de Moçambique.
Fernando Ganhão, at the time of death exercised the functions of Dean of the Technical
University of Mozambique.
www.clubofmozambique.com
Compiled by: Cláudio A. Fauvrelle [[email protected]]
[sources: Technical University of Mozambique Website]